alt="LA Kings Insider with Rich Hammond" />Here’s what Terry Murray said today about Justin Williams, and the line situations. The Kings’ forwards skated today as follows today…
Smyth-Kopitar-Simmonds
Parse-Stoll-Purcell
Frolov-Handzus-Brown
Ivanans/Richardson/Harrold/Lewis
Question: Is Williams’ injury still a concern?
MURRAY: “No, I’m not concerned about Williams. It’s something that will probably keep him out for another couple of days, but it’s not a long-term issue.”
Question: Are you planning on playing Parse with Purcell and Stoll on that line?
MURRAY: “That’s what I’m thinking, yeah. He’s had a great start down in Manchester, the leading … point producer. You know, I didn’t give him an opportunity to play in an exhibition game, and he went down there and got fired up, and he’s kind of showing us that he deserves something better. He’ll get into the game tomorrow. I think he will end up where he was today in the practice, on the left side with Stoll and Purcell on the right side. We’re looking for scoring from other places. We’ll see how that works out.”
Question: Will Simmonds stay with the first line?
MURRAY: “I’ll leave Simmonds where he played last night, as long as Williams is out of the lineup. I thought he fit in very well. He complemented those guys with puck possession, tried to make plays, scored a tremendous goal. He’s a player that likes to hold on and make plays down deep. He cycles the puck very well, goes to the net and creates havoc in front of the net, and the line seemed to respond very well. Obviously with Kopitar getting the three goals and Ryan Smyth playing the kind of game that he did, there was a great effort when it was needed.”
thanks once again Rich!
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hey guys,
BTW, the Handzus line is actually the second line. I think Rich may have mixed it up a bit.
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Why do people keep numbering the lines when it has been clearly established the coaching staff does not label them as such?
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Lines 1, 2A, 2B, 4 =)
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It is amazing and a pleasure to watch a player, who wasn’t even supposed to make the team last year, who was projected as a third/fourth line player, work his way up the depth chart towards the possibility of becoming a top 6 forward, if not a top 3. It shows what hard work and determination will get you. This is a great opportunity for Simmonds and very well deserved. Simmonds seems the type to thrive off of taking advantage of opportunities that are given to him. While this year the Kings are probably a better team with Williams on a line with Kopi and Smyth, and Simmonds playing on whatever you want to call his line, giving Simmonds a taste of top line work will likely feed his desire to eventually get there on a more permanent basis.
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My bold prediction is that Justin Williams eventually becomes our new second line center.
To me this looks like a legitimate NHL top six:
Smyth Kopitar Simmonds
Frolov Williams Brown
If I had to pick the bottom six I’d go with:
Richardson Stoll Lewis
Purcell Handzus Moller
Ivanans becomes the spare part at forward. Harrold moves back to become the seventh defenseman.
The obvious flaw with this lineup is the lack of an enforcer. Aside from that I think these would be four solid lines.
Feel free to disagree.
Go Kings!
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Some fan: Nice thoughts, but I am not sure Simmonds is a legitimate first line forward. I love the guy’s effort, guts, etc. but I haven’t seen yet that he has the kind of ability to be a consistent 60+ point guy – which I think you want, at least, from your first line people. I will be thrilled if I am wrong.
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I hear avery might become available?……….lol
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Some fan,
I disagree. Not only does the lineup you’ve proposed lack an enforcer, it lacks toughness and grit period! You have to plug in a couple middleweights, since Simmonds is now on the first line, and either plug ivanans on the fourth or acquire a new enforcer…
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@ Some Fan,
That is a VERY bold prediction indeed, especially since Justin Williams the hockey player NEVER played center, at least not in his pro career. I sure hope you were not referring to Justin Williams who used to play center for the Sacramento Kings (yes, Kings, but a different sport, ya know!) Then you have Richardson on the third line which gets second line minutes under TM. He’ll get a real shot at shattering a +/- record there for sure – he is almost a -1 per game playing very limited minutes on the fourth line. IMHO, the only reason he is still around is because DL is not willing to accept that he wasted a 2nd rounder there.
@ Khanon,
I like a good scrap as much as the next guy, but what’s up with the enforcer obsession? Just look at the teams that made it to the conference finals last season (PIT, CAR, DET & CHI) – they got exactly ZERO enforcers playing regular minutes and I am not even talking about the playoffs.
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Justin Williams injured, there’s a shocker
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